Table sugar and high-fructose corn
syrup—the two ubiquitous modern
sweeteners—are composed of two
sugars, glucose and fructose. Glucose,
the “good” sugar, is healthful in
moderation. Fructose is more dangerous.
Fructose in the diet comes from two
main sources:
• Fruit, berries, and sugary
vegetables, such as carrots and
beets
• Sweeteners, such as sugar and
high-fructose corn syrup, and
sweetened products, such as
candies and colas
In facts a talk the University of California
posted on YouTube, where it garnered
2.5 million views, Dr. Robert H. Lustig
declared that two traits of fructose—the
ability to inflict damage on the body and
shunting to the liver (the body’s
detoxification organ) for disposal—
compel a verdict: “Fructose is a
poison. It’s not about the calories, has
nothing to do with the calories. It’s a
poison by itself.”
Most scientists would not go so far.
We’ll meet Dr. Lustig halfway: fructose
is a poison, but only in high doses or in
combination with omega-6
polyunsaturated fats. But since omega-6 is so prevalent,
both in human and laboratory rodent
diets, it’s no surprise that fructose
causes much trouble.
